1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a material for and a method of effecting the decomposition/dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The water is reacted with a reactive alloy of sodium and aluminum to form hydrogen and a metallic hydroxide denoted by the formula Na.sub.3 Al(OH).sub.6. The Na.sub.3 Al(CH).sub.6 is unstable at the temperature of formation in the presence of a catalyst comprising a platinum group metal or nickel and at least one element selected from the group consisting of germanium, antimony, gallium, thallium, indium and bismuth and breaks down to form metallic sodium and aluminum thereby releasing oxygen and hydrogen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the prior art that alkali metals react with water to form hydrogen and the stable alkali metal hydroxide. The foregoing reaction is rapid, the heat generated intense and explosion of the alkali metal and hydrogen usually occurs. The result is an unsatisfactory and dangerous method of generating hydrogen. It is also well known that metal peroxides may be used for the generation of oxygen (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,561).
Thermomechanical cycles comprising metal-metaloid combinations for the generation of both hydrogen and oxygen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,495.
Closed cycle processes for dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,358, 3,928,549 and 4,011,305. Combinations of various metals in multistep processes for dissociation of water are, therefore, well known; however, the simple and facile manner of producing hydrogen and oxygen utilizing a reactive alloy of alkali metal and aluminum combined with a catalytic alloy comprising a platinum group metal or nickel and at least one element selected from the group consisting of germanium, antimony, gallium, thallium, indium, and bismuth has not heretofore been appreciated.